Dance with the Devil

Chapter 7: Superbia

Vampires are damned, there are no two-ways about it. But God would surely torment them for their sins.

"Rido Kuran!"

The seven thousand year old man winced. He was never in a sweet surprise when his beloved, or not so beloved, in this instance, wife used that voice. He dog-eared his book, something that irritated Yuuki to no end, and set it aside with a sigh. Yori and Hanabusa, who had been married for a hundred years now, looked up from their own book. He had grown used to the couple being around several years ago, but they were still no more than Yuuki's companions, and that was the only reason he tolerated the two.

"You must have done something to displease Yuuki-sama," Yori noted. "Again."

"Rido-sama, with all due respect I suggest you run." Her husband told him lightly. They were reading Pride and Prejudice once again, for the five thousandth time. It was their favorite book for some ungodly reason. Rido snorted at the two of them.

"I am not going to run away from my own wife."

"No offense meant Rido-sama," Yori said with a smile, "but Yuuki-sama isn't at all pleasant when pregnant. After the third child, I think you would have remembered that." He didn't respond to that. Instead, Rido stood from his perch on the tree and jumped down, walking inside his home. It didn't take him too long to find her- she was standing in the sitting room with her hands on her hips.

She looked as beautiful as ever, of course. Her hair was flowing about her as her eyes flashed in obvious anger, and her swollen belly, evidence of their more than active life, just made her look like some unearthly goddess, especially in her maroon gown. Their oldest child, who was seventeen years old, ignored her mother and father for the most part, reading a book. Of course, Emi, who was more like her older brother than Rido and Yuuki could have ever imagined, flickered her sharp blue eyes up at them occasionally. Her parents could be more entertaining than a book sometimes.

"You tore this dress," she accused angrily. Rido folded his arms across his chest with a smirk, leaning back.

"You did not oppose last night." Emi gave a snort of disgust but made no move to leave. The two ignored her.

"This was my favorite dress, Rido!"

"You have others," he said, non pulsed. Yuuki let out an infuriating huff, glaring daggers at her husband for seventy eight years. Unlike Yori and Hanabusa, they had waited to get married. Mostly because Rido detested the idea, but Yuuki had begged him for it and he found that after spending so much time together, he could not refuse. She had already had Emi by that time.

"Rido," she began again, "Kaa-chan had given this to me." He blinked. Her mother. Juuri. He hadn't thought of his sister... Well, in quite a long time. He glanced at the shredded dress. Ah, now he remembered. It was a soft, pearly white. Her mother had given it to her on her sixteenth birthday. She had looked so delicious in that dress, he had wanted to tear it off of her. Of course, he did, but that was the problem.

"Yuuki," he began. But she stopped him.

"No! Don't... just don't say anything. I'll... I've got others." From looking fiercely angry to helplessly lost the next, Yuuki threw down the tattered dress and ran off. He sighed, running his fingers through his hair.

"Emi, go look after your mother." He growled as he bent down to pick up her dress. Emi carefully placed the bookmark inside her book before going after her already stressed, and very pregnant, mother. She didn't sympathize with her father, though. She knew well enough how demanding her father could be sometimes, and she firmly believed he should control himself. Otherwise, they very well may have well over twenty children, and she was unsure if she could handle that many siblings.

As Emi ran out, a young boy and girl ran in. The boy was his son, with the same hair and eyes, but he had Yuuki's smile and nose. He also had Yuuki's cheerful disposition. The girl was the child of Hanabusa and Yori, with strawberry blond hair and icy blue eyes. The two were born on the same night, and the two were attached as if they were twins. The boy's name was Ichirou, and the girl was Manami.

"Ne, Tou-san, did you happen to see Mao running in here?" Ichirou asked his father innocently. Mao was the hellion cat that lived outside. He detested cats, which was why he had forbidden him from entering the house. He glared at his son.

"Mao shouldn't be here," he said darkly. "Unless you went against my orders."

"Of course not Tou-san! Kaa-chan brought him in." Ichirou told his father with a smile.

And of course, Yuuki loved the cat. He was beginning to think that Yuuki could love just about anything with a heart beat. He sighed, rubbing his temples. When it was clear the two children would not leave, he glared at them. "Go play somewhere, your cat shall turn up some time." The two ran off hand in hand, and he rolled his eyes. There was no doubt in his mind the two would marry one day. He was more affectionate toward Manami than he was with his own wife, but that didn't mean he cared any less. Emi, on the other hand, hadn't found someone yet. He wasn't sure whether he should be pleased that no one dared to touch his daughter, or angered because no one found her beautiful. Emi was as beautiful as her mother, only colder, which was probably what drove them off.

Speaking of the two children, he wondered where his third child was. She was the youngest and by far the most destructive. Little Sakura was about as innocent as the devil himself, but that didn't mean she couldn't get away with things with her father wrapped around her little fingers. Yuuki found it adorable that he spoiled the girl so much, and saw fit to tease him relentlessly. Still, the child was only five years old, yet she had gotten into more trouble than Ichirou, Manami and Emi combined, and Manami wasn't even his daughter!

He sighed. He would have to look for her later, but now, he would tend to the dress. He walked back out into the gardens, approaching Hanabusa and Yori, who were still reading the book, Yori's voice drifting sweetly in the air.

"Yori," Rido began as he approached, "do you think you might be able to fix this?" Yori's eyes flickered to the dress, recognizing it immediately. She took it from it, after removing Hanabusa from her lap, and smiled at him.

"Give me a few days, and it shall be done." Yori was amazing with needlework. She could fix just about anything, and he hoped she would be able to fix this.

"Have you seen Sakura?" He asked as an afterthought. The two shook their heads. He sighed. Well, he supposed he would have to visit the usual places. Rido first looked in the library, because Yuuki would read to the younger children there. When his wife wasn't, Sakura liked to pretend she was reading to her own children. It was either that, or she was tearing pages out of the books. She was usually forbidden from entering without someone else in there.

If Sakura wasn't in there, she wouldn't be in her room. Sakura had all the toys in the world- from Barbie to My little Pony to anime dolls. She only played with them long enough to tear off their limbs and destroy their hair. She had even pretended that some were dead because the others were cannibals. But that was all there was in there, nothing to keep her interest for long.

Hmm.. where else. She couldn't be in the garden, she hated getting dirty... Maybe she was up on the roof, pretending to be a princess about to commit suicide? No, no, she had done that last week.

"Have you seen Sakura anywhere?" he asked a random servant. The maid blinked before saying,

"Milord, she went to greet your son and daughter and law, with their child." Ah. Senri was here, he had forgotten. Rido strolled to the door, opening it just as Sakura had turned the handle. Hanging from the door knob, she grinned at her father.

"Hiya Daddy! Aniki ad Aneki are here with Yumi-chan!" she chirped happily. He raised an eyebrow at his daughter, picking the brunette with deep red eyes by her tiny waist, placing her on his shoulders. She giggled happily before turning her attention to Senri.

"Nii-san promised Sakura-chan that Nii-san would teach me chess," she said. "But Sakura-chan wants to learn later. Yumi-chan, want to go play pirates with me? We can pretend to kill each other while being drunk!"

Yumi blinked rapidly. "Okay Saku-chan!" Giddy, Sakura jumped from her father's shoulders and onto the ground, grabbing her niece's hand and pulling her to her play room where they could play on her pirate ship. She really did have one. It was one of the gifts he had given her for her birthday. Of course, it wasn't a large pirate ship, but it was big enough for the room. He had some one paint a portion of it to look like the ocean and an island, too. He gestured for Senri and Rima to come in.

"Is Yuuki-sama alright?" Rima asked quietly. Rido grunted, still annoyed that his wife would cry over something so... sentimental. They walked to the large sitting room, where Yori was hard at work while Hanabusa sat with her and the children, who were playing with Mou. Emi walked in the room, a book in her hand. She blinked in surprise in seeing her older brother and sister in law, smiling slightly. The three got along well enough, despite the fact that Senri pretty much hated Rido. The only reason Senri was around was because he wanted to be there for Yuuki and his younger siblings.

"Tou-san," she said, turning to him. "Kaa-chan has went into labor."

Rido blinked once. Then twice. Then twice again. Yuuki was in labor. Yuuki. Labor. Baby. He cursed, running to his wife while barking at Emi to get the other children and wait outside. Rima followed him, as she would be the one to help with the birthing of Yuuki's child. Senri seemed lost.

oOo

After much cursing, screaming, and threatening, seventeen hours later, a baby boy was born. After writing a letter to her brother and allowing Rima to care for the baby, Yuuki was sleeping. Emi was cleaning her up while Yori was caring for Manami and Ichirou. Hanabusa was asleep, and Sakura, well Sakura was still awake. She wanted to meet her new baby brother.

In the nursery, Rido watched the baby sleep. They had decided to wait on naming the child, but now that he thought about it, he was unsure about what to name him anyway. The bald child was red from being birthed, so small and tiny. It was hard to believe he had fathered yet another child, but at the same time, it wasn't.

After Senri, Rido had been determined to not have any more children. Of course he hadn't meant to have Senri, nor did he take any responsibility for him, but the thought of more spawns of him had sent unwanted chills up his spine. Of course, what with Yuuki worming her way into his heart, and staying there, he had supposed that children would eventually be inevitable. Of course, he hadn't planned so many.

But that couldn't be helped, considering he couldn't keep his hands off of her. Not that she minded, Yuuki had confessed to him a long time ago that she wanted a large family. He had no idea why, but as long as she wanted them, he would be happy to oblige.

Fathering these children were much easier than actually raising them, of course. Emi had been very difficult, considering how cold she was. She was a mommy's girl through and through, but that didn't mean Emi didn't love him. He had made his fair share of mistakes, too. As for Ichirou, he was sure to make mistakes with the boy, but abandoning him like he did with Senri wouldn't be one of them. Yuuki wouldn't allow it. As for Sakura, well he probably spoiled the child far too much.

He ran his fingers through his hair. And now, he had another child to worry about. Rido groaned aloud. He never should have taken Yuuki for his own, never come up with that plan. He wouldn't have to deal with a large family then. Then again, he wouldn't have Yuuki either, and that thought drove all the other thoughts away. He wouldn't give Yuuki up for anything, nor would he with his family.

Sakura approached him and the crib, climbing the bars to look at the baby that was her brother. She scrunched her nose, wondering what was so special about him. He didn't look very pretty, or handsome. So why would they want to keep him when they had her?

"He's bald, you know." She told him innocently. Rido chuckled.

"Yes, he is."

"And ugly."

He raised an eyebrow.

"He doesn't look like much."

"He's just been born, Sakura."

"I know," the girl murmured. She reached out to touch the boy, he looked so fragile, when the baby reached up and grasped her tiny finger, cooing softly. Sakura gasped, her mouth forming a perfect 'o', with her dark eyes wide in surprise and awe. Rido watched this with feint amusement.

"Is he mine?" she asked softly.

"Yes," Rido replied. "He is." Sakura looked up at her father.

"Can I name him, then?" Rido sighed, smirking slightly. He should have suspected that something like this would happen. Connections like this weren't uncommon. Besides, it had already been decided that Sakura would be engaged to the child when he grew older, if the two proved to love each other. Of course, they might not, but judging from this, he doubted that was likely.

"You may."

Sakura glanced down at the baby boy, whose eyes were still closed, and unaware of the world around him, unaware of her. But he looked so innocent. Pure. Untainted. Sakura felt the urge to protect this little baby, her little brother. She wouldn't let anyone harm what was hers, and that was a promise.

"Kazuo," she said at last. Rido turned his attention to his son.

"It suits him."

oOo

With Sakura curled in his arms, Rido climbed the stairs that led to her room. It had been a long, exhausting day, he mused, and he could use some sleep. But first, he would care for Sakura. The tiny child sucked on her thumb, her eyes flicking wildly behind her eyelids as she dreamed. He would have to be careful. The girl was very much a light sleeper, and he didn't want to wake her up. It would be even more difficult than bathing a cat to get her to go back to sleep, if that happened.

But of course, luck was never on his side. As he stepped into her room she stirred, and he let out a small curse.

And of course, she heard it.

"Daddy," she whispered softly, still tired, "what does fuck mean?"

He panicked slightly as he tucked her in bed. She looked up at him expectantly, her eyes still half lidded. Rido frowned when he said,

"I love you?"

She scrunched her nose in disbelief, before whispering, "Okay. Well fuck you Daddy."

Rido nearly slapped himself. He would really have to watch that mouth of his. Sighing, he sat beside her bed in the rocker Yuuki would sing Sakura to sleep in.

"Don't use that word, Sakura."

She gave him a questioning stare. "Is there a better word?"

Rido thought for a minute, tossing around a few words in his mind that wouldn't sound so.. wrong.

"Cheese," he said eventually.

"Cheese?"

"Cheese."

"Oh." Sakura yawned, snuggling her pillow. "Well, I cheese you Daddy."

Rido sighed in defeat.

Hopefully funny epilogue. The story started out dark, but now it's all light and happy, haha.

Any way, the whole "fuck you daddy" thing was an idea from a Naruto fanfic I read. If anyone knows it, tell me and I'll have the proper credit up :) As for the 'Cheese' thing, it was a reference from VampireMaddy's Notes with the Night Class story :) It was hilarious, and she kindly allowed me to use it.

KAZUO 一男, 和夫 m Japanese
From Japanese 一 (kazu) "one" or 和 (kazu) "harmony" combined with 男 (o) "male" or 夫 (o) "husband, man".

ICHIROU 一郎 m Japanese
From Japanese 一 (ichi) "one" and 郎 (rou) "son"...

MANAMI 愛美, 愛海 f Japanese
From Japanese 愛 (mana) "love, affection" combined with 美 (mi) "beautiful" or 海 (mi) "sea, ocean".

EMI 恵美, 絵美 f Japanese
From Japanese 恵 (e) "blessing, favour" or 絵 (e) "picture" combined with 美 (mi) "beautiful".

Alright, I'm out!